Democratic Republic of Congo dismisses Goma withdrawal conditions

The government of Democratic Republic of Congo has dismissed conditions set by rebels for their withdrawal from the eastern city of Goma as a "farce", as regional peace efforts intensified.

M23 rebels sit at the back of a pick-up truck captured a week before and formerly used by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of CongoPhoto: AFP/GETTY

By Zoe Flood, Nairobi

4:28AM GMT 28 Nov 2012

The M23 rebels had earlier on Tuesday promised to retreat from the mineral-rich east's largest city – as well as the strategic town of Sake – if President Joseph Kabila agreed to their demands.

These included a call for national talks, the release of political prisoners and the dissolution of the country's electoral commission, which came under criticism in 2011.

The central African nation's Communications Minister Lambert Mende repeatedly rejected M23 demands, saying that negotiations would only begin once the armed group has left Goma.

Meanwhile Congo's military spokesman Colonel Olivier Hamuli called M23's continued presence in Goma "a declaration of war" and said that combat would be resume, although without saying when.

The statement came as conflicting promises about M23's proposed withdrawal from Goma were given by leaders of the group's political and military wings, as well as by Uganda's army chief who is supervising the withdrawal process.

"M23 seem intent on staying in Goma; these very general demands are a way of creating a diplomatic smokescreen around their presence," independent Central Africa analyst Kris Berwouts said.

The latest round in the dispute between M23 and the Congolese government came as regional defence chiefs prepared to travel to Goma to monitor the rebels' promised withdrawal.

In an emergency summit convened at the weekend in Kampala, senior regional leaders including four heads of state called on M23 rebels to withdraw to at least 20km from Goma within 48 hours, a deadline that the movement ignored.

"There is a very real commitment amongst neighbouring countries to avoid polarisation into a regional war." Berwouts added.

"But regional containment does not solve the issue on the ground in Goma, where M23's presence continues to weaken President Kabila and state institutions."

The African Union added its voice to those rejecting the M23 rebellion at an emergency meeting of its Peace and Security Council on Monday, demanding "unhindered humanitarian access" for aid agencies.

M23 – or the "March 23" movement – seized the provincial capital of North Kivu on last week, after the Congolese military withdrew and UN peacekeepers were unable to defend the city.

Many tens of thousands of Congolese civilians were displaced as the rebels descended on the city and marched onward to Sake, and aid agencies have warned of the risk of a cholera outbreak.

M23 is made up largely of former rebels who were integrated into the Congolese army, but then mutinied in April.

A United Nations group of experts monitoring Congo's arms embargo has pointed the finger at Rwanda and Uganda as supporters of the M23 rebels, claims that both governments strongly reject.

Earlier on Tuesday, reports emerged that a rival Congo-based rebel group had launched a raid on villages in Rwandan territory.

The Congolese army dismissed the claim, with army spokesman Colonel Olivier Hamuli describing it to Bloomberg as "a rumour created by Rwanda to justify the non-withdrawal of M23 from Goma".

Allegations of Rwandan involvement with M23 by the UN group of experts have prompted the UK government – Rwanda's largest bilateral donor – to rethink development assistance to the country.